


moonlight rhapsody

by badend (cogito)



Category: Elsword (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 10:43:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 798
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17058302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cogito/pseuds/badend
Summary: diabolic esper plays a rhapsody.tumblr dump.





	moonlight rhapsody

**Author's Note:**

> original post date: may 22, 2015  
> find me on tumblr here: http://bad-end.tumblr.com/

There is a piano sitting in the middle of the living room.

The couch has been pushed aside and the kitchen table toppled over like the aftermath of an explosion. The unmistakable giant black thing with pristine lighting reflecting off the lid in the middle of the room is a baby grand piano.

At this point, Mastermind isn’t even surprised anymore. He’s already gingerly sliding through what little room is left in the passageway to try and get his morning coffee. He can see the coffee machine, which means it's worth it to make an attempt.

From the piano bench, Esper is scribbling furiously over something that looks like sheet music. Mastermind rolls his eyes, deciding that he doesn’t really care about Esper’s habits so long as the piano gets moved and everything is back in its usual place. He’ll deal with that when he turns the coffee machine on. Nothing is worth thinking about before his oversweetened coffee.

Esper is still scribbling when the coffee reheats itself. How long is the sheet of paper anyway? It didn’t look like a stack but only several sheets.

It’s curious that Esper doesn’t notice him either, so he’s just about to slip out of the living room when Esper’s fingers start hitting the keys and the pen is haphazardly thrown somewhere else.

Esper’s fingers glide across the piano music, and Mastermind stares, mesmerized. Music wasn’t something he had paid special attention to, everything was more or less the same, and he would get bored if he had to stay too long in one spot.

He doesn’t remember time passing when he listens to Esper play, only the notes that are bouncing off the piano and resounding in the room, and Esper’s movement with the rhythm of the notes.

Mastermind doesn’t even notice that Esper’s dynamos are playing background music until he’s finished. The speakers and the soundproofing of the walls make for poor audio performance, but it’s impressive enough, and Esper looks suitably proud of himself.

Mastermind is almost proud too.

Taking a minute to regain his breath, Esper exhales. “Dynamos, replay recording, and find my pen while you’re at it.”

Esper seats himself back at his chair with the pen in his hand, chewing on the ends of it when he waits for a particular note to hit, quietly mumbling something about “playing softer here,” and “this crescendo here sounds off…” while Mastermind just watches.

He supposes he should head upstairs to continue working on his research, but Esper’s furious scribbling and how hard he’s working for this thing is almost charming in a way. It’s as if Esper could actually be a functional member of society with how productive and how intensely he’s pouring over this piece of music of unknown origins. He sets the cup down and leans against the kitchen wall, watching Esper’s motions.

Esper replays the music a second time, and Mastermind doesn’t notice the difference in quality. Esper seems to be a little happier, so he supposes that must be the indication. As the Dynamos float out of view, their mission complete, Esper spins out of his chair, twirling into the little space left behind by the dominating presence of the piano.

“You look ridiculous dancing by yourself.” Mastermind says, finally making his presence. If that was even a dance at all, but rather twirling about.

Esper doesn’t seem surprised at his presence. Why wouldn’t he? There were multiple signs to indicate that Mastermind was in the kitchen, but it must have been Esper ignoring him on purpose in favour of the music.

“So?” Esper laughs, and comes to a slow stop, “It’d be less ridiculous if you just danced with me, I bet.” Without giving Mastermind a chance to resist, he laces his fingers through Mastermind’s fingers, smiling softly all the same.

Mastermind opens his mouth to complain, but stops himself and lets Esper drag him into the small space. Nothing good can come of this.

Unsurprisingly, they fall all over each other, Esper’s frame pinning Mastermind tot he floor. For a second, Mastermind is alarmed, as if Esper would do something terrible and gross because he had the advantage.

Instead, Esper just curls into Mastermind’s side, sliding his arms around Mastermind’s waist like they do when trying to stave off Esper’s nightmares at night. There is no attempting to dig into Mastermind’s side and no attempts to crave for attention. He’s content to just lie there.

For a brief moment, Mastermind contemplates petting Esper on the head and eventually settles on combing his fingers through Esper’s hair, listening to Esper’s soft breathing and almost enjoying how peaceful this morning has been.

Then, quietly mumbled between the two of them, “You can keep the piano, but put everything back in its place first.”


End file.
